...διαβαζοντας περισσοτερο και εισερχομενος σε βαθυτερα και εντονοτερα μονοπατια της φυλης του Bullmastiff,θεωρω χρεος μου να παραθεσω κατι που προσωπικα με αγγιξε βαθεια αλλα και συναμα το θεωρω πολυ σημαντικο να το μοιραστω τοσο με τους ιδιωτες και τους λατρεις της φυλης,οσο και με τους εκτροφεις αυτης...αλλα και με τους λατρεις και εκτροφεις ολων των φυλων ανεξαιρετως...
παραθετω λοιπον αυτουσια τα παρακατω αποσπασματα...(στα αγγλικα)
"Wiser Breeding.
The Bullmastiff fanciers of today owe a great deal to the named and unknown devotees who handed this splendid breed on for us to safeguard in our lifetimes.We should honour their work by breeding dogs which they would have admired...physically and mentally sound and truly functional.
The persuit of show success must never be the over-riding aim.Breeding mainly from dogs awarded prizes by judges is extremely unwise...breeding your precious bitch to a sire which wins but has no family strength is the sign of lack of knowledge.
But this was the pattern in the British show scene of the 1990s.May the next millennium produse greater wisdom and enchanced skill in the breeders of this fine breed."
πηγη: "The Mastiffs,The Big Game Hunters,Their History,Development and Future",by Colonel David Hancock.
"A night-dog should not be less than 80lbs and if he is 100lbs,strong and active,so much the better.He ought to be able to jump a gate with ease...A night-dog os more valuable for catching a man than fighting one...Teach the dog to rely on himself..."
Mr W Burton of Thorneywood Kennels,the most knowledgeable night-dog trainer and most experienced user of night-dogs of his day.
πηγη: "The Mastiffs,The Big Game Hunters,Their History,Development and Future",by Colonel David Hancock.
"Size before Soundness.
Writing in "The Book of the Dog" of 1948,edited by Brian Vesey-Fitzgerald and published by Nicholson and Watson in 1948, Arthur Croxton Smith gave this view: "Breeders seem to have concetrated more and more upon getting immence size and great bulk usually brings the evil of unsoundness in its train.I have seen plenty of perfectly sound mastiffs,such as could move well and were really active but latterly the proportion of unsound ones has been alarmingly high,for it is extremely difficult for breeders to get soundness in alliance with bulk."
"No breed can lead a healthy life if its whole design is at the mercy of human whim.Any breed no longer bred for a function,even if that function has lapsed,has a doubtful future."
..."Man in modern times has bred them (εννοει τις φυλες τυπου Μαστιφ),less wisely and prejudised their future"...
πηγη: "The Mastiffs,The Big Game Hunters,Their History,Development and Future",by Colonel David Hancock.
Θα επανελθω γιατι θεωρω οτι με τα παραπανω ανοιγεται ενα σημαντικοτατο θεμα -οσον αφορα την εκτροφη και τον σκοπο αυτης-,που μας αφορα ολους μας...